Motor vehicle



Maich 22, 1938 E. F. SALSBURY MOTOR VEHICLE Filed April 7, 1936 3Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR. 1 fiky/i/cr ia/sburg W 1% ATTORNEY March 22,1938. SALSBURY. 2,111,691

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed April '7, 193a 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEY March 22, 1938..

E. F. SALSBURY I uoroa vmucma Filed April '1. 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 22, 1938 MOTOR VEHICLE Esley Foster Salsbury,Orinda, Calif. Application'April 7, 19%, Serial No. rams '1 Claim.(01.180-33) My invention relates to vehicles primarily. useful forauxiliary transportation, in carrying a single passenger on relativelyshort trips.

An object of my invention is to provide a motor vehicle which issufficiently substantial and fleet as to transport a-full-grown adult ata speed of from twenty-five to thirty-five miles per hour.

Another object of my invention is 'to provide a motor vehicle which issufliciently light and compact as to be disposable aboard anothervehicle, such as an automobile, yacht or airplane.

A further object of my invention is to provide a vehicle for relativelyshort trips. which is selfcontained and is inexpensive in first cost andmaintenance.

The foregoing'and other objects are attained in the embodiments of theinvention illustrated in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of one form of motor vehicle in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section the plane of which isindicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a crosssection similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified formof drive arrangement.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section similar to Figs. 3 and 4 but showing a furthermodified form of drive arrangement. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of avehicle similar to Fig. 1 but somewhat modified.

In its preferred form, the motor vehicle of my invention includes a pairof wheels in flle, connected by a frame providing a passenger-support- 5ing portion and having a driving motor arranged substantially above oneof thewheels and having a steering column for the other wheel movablefrom a position substantially above the wheel to another positionsubstantially between the wheels.

In the form of motor vehicle of my invention especially disclosed inFigs. .1, 2 and 3, I preferably provide a frame, generally designated 6,which conveniently is fabricated of one or more metal stampings. Thecentral part of the frame 5 provides a passenger-carrying platform 1 orportion located between two ground-engaging wheels, such as a frontsteering wheel 8 and a rear driving wheel 9, both of which are equippedwith pneumatic tires of the balloon type to afford resilience 50 insuspension. The frame 6 adjacent its forward part is upswept, as at II,to unite with a steering journal l2 inclined at an angle to the verticaland having an axis which is in the, general plane of the steering wheel3 but which lies somewhat 55 behind the rotational axis I! of the wheel.

The journal l2 forms a mounting for the shank N5 of steering forks Hwhich are constituted large- .ly by a hood or shroud l8 overlying andgenerally encompassing-the wheel 8. The wheel is mounted on an axle I9which is not only mounted 5 in the shroud I8 but is likewise mounted inauxiliary struts 2| which extend to a yoke 22 joined to the member l6 bya. plate 23. Also joined to the plate 23 are struts 24 acting asreinforcements and fastened to bosses 26 extending from the 10 forks.

Articulated to the steering forks is a steering column, generallydesignated 21, and to provide a suitable connection the members 22terminate in a pair of friction plates 28 and 29 in contact with 15which are friction plates 3| and 32, respectively, at the lower ends ofeach of a pair of struts 33 constituting the column 21. Washers 34 andadjustable fasteners 36 provide means for regulating the rotationalfriction between the pads, so that movement of thecolumn 21 about theaxis of the fasteners 36, which axis is at right angles or perpendicularto the axis of the member It, can be any desired value. The column 21 atits upper end terminates in a mounting 38 engaging a steering means suchas a pair of Handle bars 39 provided with hand grips 4|. With thisarrangement the steering means 39 is movable from an upper positionsubstantially over the steering wheel 8 to a lower position injuxtaposition to 30 the passenger-carrying platform I, so that theheight of the steering column when in its upper position can bematerially reduced to increase the compactness of the vehicle forstorage purposes.

The frame 6 adjacent the wheel 9 is enlarged by a housing 46 whichsubstantially encompasses and shrouds the driving wheel 9 and forms amounting for the wheel axle 41. The housing 46 is preferably pierced topass a drive chain 48 (Fig. 3) which engages a sprocket 49 connected 40to the driving wheel 9 and likewise engages the drive shaft 5| of asuitable driving engine 52. This engine is a standard kind of internalcombustion engine available on the market. It is disposed preferablyimmediately above the driving wheel 9, so that the weight of the drivingengine and its accessories will be almost entirely imposed upon thedriving wheel to increase the traction thereof. The engine is preferablysecured to the frame 6 by a bracket 53 on the engine, which is connectedby a pivot pin 54 to a similar bracket 55 connected to the shroud 46which is incorporated in the frame. An adjustable bracket connection 56permits regulation of the chain tension by holding the engine in anadjusted position. 55

The engine 52 is provided with a carburetor 51 which receives its fuelfrom a tank 58 mounted on the engine and disposed above the wheel 9. Tocontrol the operation of the engine, I preferably extend a Bowden wire59 from the carburetor down underneath the passenger platform 1, uparound the fork structure I6, and along the steering column 21 to asuitable control handle 6| adjacent the hand grip 4|. By suitablymanipulating the control 6|, the operator can regulate the operation ofthe engine. The control is not affected by the particular position ofthe steering column at any instant or by the particular adjustedposition of the engine adopted to give the requisite tightness to thechain 48. Preferably, a similar control handle 52 and a Bowden wirecontroller 63 pass generally along the route of the wire 59 to actuate abrake 64 incorporated in the wheel 9.

While the passenger utilizing my motor vehicle ordinarily stands on theplatform 1, I provide means so that he may be seated. To this end asuitable part of the frame carries a pair of brackets 66 through whichterminally tapered support tubes 61 slidably pass, to engage a pair] ofsockets 68 on the frame. The support tubes 81 carry a cushion 99. Inorder that the seat can be moved to a folded position to increase thecompactness of the structure, the bracket 68 is preferably connected tothe frame by a pivot 1|, so that, by lifting the support tubes 01 todisengage the socket and then rotating the brackets 66 about theirfastening H, the cushion 69 can be brought into proximity with theplatform 1. When the steering column 21 is likewise folded, themechanism is sufficiently compact as to be readily stowed in a smallspace for transportation by another vehicle.

As alternatives to the chain drive disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3, Iprovide, as disclosed in Fig. 4,.

that the rear wheel 9, instead of carrying a sprocket 48, may carry alarge belt pulley 16 for the reception of a V-belt 11 preferably of theautomotive type, which also engages a V-pulley 18 on the drive shaft 5|of the engine 52. With this arrangement the tightness of the belt isadjusted in the'same fashion as is the tightness of the chain 48, by theappropriate pivotal movement of the engine 52 about its support bracketpin 54; and in this instance if the engine is disposed so that the belt11 has an appreciable slack, then a clutching effect is provided so thatthe engine can still be operated, even though no drive is transmitted tothe wheel 9.

The arrangement of Fig. 5 is an alternative to the previously describeddrive arrangement. The wheel 9 is engaged by a friction roller 8| on theengine shaft 5|, so that the driving force of the engine 52 istransmitted by the friction roller directly to the periphery of thewheel 9. with this arrangement likewise, the engine 52 can-be rotatedabout its pivotal supp rt 54 in order to disengage the friction roller8| from hicle.

the wheel 9 or to force it into tight engagement therewith and therebyto provide a clutching action to control the transmission of drivingeffort from the engine to the driving wheel.

A modified form of structure is shown in Fig. 6. This structure issubstantially identical with that previously described, so far as thesteering wheel and steering mechanism are concerned, but a somewhatdifferent arrangement of framework and driving mechanism is provided. Inthe arrangement of Fig. 6, the rear wheel 95 is mounted on an axle 91carried in a shroud 98 which substantially encompasses the wheel and isdetachably connected by bolts I00 to the remainder of the generalframework of the ve- The driving engine 99 is disposed substantiallyabove the wheel 96 and is connected thereto for driving relationship inany appropriate way. Since the driving mechanism and the rear wheel aremounted in or on the detachable shroud90, they can be handled separatelyas a unit.

Preferably, the engine is mounted on a bracket I0l connected to a pivotpin I02 on the shroud. The bracket IN is extended to provide a lever I03available to the occupant of the passengercarrying platform I04 or ofthe seat I05. By suitably manipulating the handle :03, which is retainedin position by spring engagement with a notched sector I01, the enginecan be clutched or declutched with the driving wheel 90 whenever a beltor friction drive is employed; or a special clutch mechanism can beappropriately actuated in the event a chain drive is utilized.

The engine 99 is disposed with its cylinder I08 substantiallyhorizontal, and, since the cylinder is preferably air-cooled, I provideair inlet apertures III, suitably guarded, and an air outlet II2, sothat ample air flow past the engine cylinder is provided, even thoughthe entire engine and most of its auxiliaries are disposed within theshroud 98. The arrangement and mounting of the seat I 09 and thesteering column H3 are virtually the same as disclosed in connectionwith the vehicle of Fig. 1, and when the seat and the steering columnare folded into theirlowered positions adjacent the passenger platformI00 a very compact relationship of the parts is provided.

I claim:

In a motor vehicle having a frame, front and rear wheels for said frame,said frame having a passenger platform arranged between and below. thecenters of said wheels, and means for steering said front wheel, thecombination of a rear wheel driving assembly comprising, a shroudprovided on the frame and substantially encompassing said rear wheel,said rear wheel being rotatably mounted on said shroud, a driving enginecarried by said shroud and disposed above said rear wheel, and means fortransmitting power from said engine to said rear wheel.

ESLEY FOSTER SALSBURY.

